Unfamiliar Voices from Ulus to Çankaya: Ankara’s Jazz Adventure (1940-1980)

Abstract

Although jazz music and Ankara seem far apart both culturally and geographically, they did unexpectedly come together towards the middle of the last century. The foundation of the new government in 1923 transformed the appearance and the cultural atmosphere of the city. During this time, Western popular music became the favorite genre for modernization in the context of creating a “new life and new society.” Jazz, the popular music of the period, had spread from the USA to Europe, and reached Istanbul in various different ways. The arrival and development of jazz music in Ankara was achieved by the musicians who traveled from abroad and from Istanbul, as well as by those musicians who played classical western music. Jazz and dance music were played in the same repertoires for many years since the proclamation of the Republic, and jazz gradually became separate from dance music. The period between 1940-1980 was when the development of jazz music took place in the cultural memory of Ankara. The factors affecting this development can be grouped under three main headings. The first is the broadcasts of Ankara Radio and The Voice of America. The second is the Turkish-American Association, the American News Center (USIS), Officers’ and the NCO clubs, which were all established in the city by the USA. Finally, the foreign musicians who performed in hotels such as Ankara Palace, Balin, Barıkan, Büyük Ankara and night clubs such as Süreyya, İntim, Club Yaşar, Babylon, Bomonti, Gar Casino, Beer Park, Göl Casino, Derya, Feyman, Yeni Süreyya, Altınnal, Club X also raised the profile of jazz in the city. Over the years, the number of Turkish musicians gradually increased, and the orchestras, who started to call themselves “cazbants,” rather than “jazz bands,” helped develop many musicians who are acknowledged world-wide. Furthermore, venues gradually became jazz clubs where standards were often included in the repertoires. Artists gradually started to produce original works, compositions and arrangements that were blended with traditional music, and these became more enduring with the release of albums. The study brings together the data achieved from a literature review and various interviews with musicians who witnessed the period. The aim is to shed light on the historical process of how jazz music began and subsequently developed in Ankara.

Keywords

• turkish music history
• jazz music
• jazz musicians
• ankara